There is a lot of foolishness in human philosophy. We will gain no wisdom from contemplating God as an abstract proposition. There is a simple Psalm, a song for teaching, which is a summary of human dealings with God. It is a song of wisdom.
This is an analysis of Psalm 107. This is a song about human will and failure, and how God relates to us.
The refrains or chorus of the song is,
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalm 107:8)
The song goes into specifics as to why we ought to praise God. Or in other words what God's wonderful works, or actions, towards us are.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. (Psalm 107:2-7)
This speaks of the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness, but the implication is that this is every person's experience also. There is no habitation for the servants of God in this order of things. Abraham and the Fathers of Israel confessed they were strangers seeking a city (Hebrews 11), and there was no final rest for the Israelites even in the land (Hebrews 4:8).
Many humans think they are self sufficient, but all of us live in a wilderness, with fainting perishing souls. Unless people seek a “right way” they continue to 'faint' and be in distress. Once led forth in the 'right way' the end is a 'city' of habitation made by God
For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:10).
This redemption of the Israelites was a pattern of the redemption of all. The redeemed would not just come out of Egypt but from every nation,
And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. (Luke 13:29)
God's great action is not to prevent distress, but to redeem his servants after they fall into distress!
Human Will
The next stanza, speaks of the impact of our actions. Humans are wilful and tend to rebel.
For he satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; Because they rebelled against the words of God, and condemned the counsel of the most High: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. (Psalm 107:9-14)
If we chose to ignore God's words, and reject his counsel we will labour for “very vanity”.
Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? (Habbakuk 2:13)
After wearying ourselves, we will fall down, and no other human can help us, as their wisdom is vanity also. Because of rebellion humans end up in darkness. In the sin of Adam all humans were condemned to the shadow of death. In Eden a sacrifice was provided to show how the bands of death were to be broken.
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the assistant, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. (Luke 4:17-21)
This psalm prefigured the work of deliverance. It was to teach the people to be observant, and to seek to be released from the shadow of death. For this work of God all were to praise him.
Suffering
The next stanza goes one further. It identifies the foolishness of the majority of people
For he has broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhors all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saves them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. (Psalm 107:16-20)
There is no doubt at all that human evil causes most of the suffering in the world. People will often refuse to 'eat' or partake of God's word. How many chose to read any book rather than the Bible? Because they ignore this 'meat', the food for the soul, they come near to death. There is no doubt that people cause much of their own suffering, by not relying totally on God. But once in the trouble we make for ourself, it only takes out turning to God wholly to be healed.
But we cannot be healed until we cry to God. God will not do anything until we recognise our foolishness and ask to be saved.
Thus we see that our life, just as ancient Israel's was, is one of an ongoing interaction with God, where we might wilfully ignore God, suffer, then turn back to be helped. The final deliverance is from the total destruction of death.
Elihu speaks of this interaction to Job,
Then he opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction, That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain: So that his life abhors bread, and his soul dainty meat. His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out. Yea, his soul draws near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers. If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness: Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth: He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness. He looks upon men, and if any say, “I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not”; He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. (Job 33:16-28)
Indeed how can we expect redemption if we don't admit we do wrong? How can we expect salvation if we are merely happy with the vain works of this life, all of which perish?
The most beautiful stanza is the next one, which seems to refer to Jonah's experience. The sailors all made sacrifices on being delivered from the storm, after Jonah was overboard.
And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. For he commands, and raise the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distresses. He makes the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he brings them unto their desired haven. (Psalm 107:22-30)
We are told directly that all that go to sea are more in the hand of God than others on land, as God alone controls the storm. Sailors should know the power of God over their life. As this song was well known in Israel, we can see why Jesus rebuked his disciples when they were experiencing a storm.
And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, care thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? (Mark 4:37-40)
It is in each of our power to call to the God who controls the wind. In a greater sense the 'desired haven' is the kingdom.
Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon. (Genesis 49:13)
Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined. (Isaiah 9:1-2)
God's great work
The last section of the song of wisdom is about how those that receive redemption are then blessed abundantly. It prefigures the greater deliverance of the kingdom,
Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. He turns rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. He turns the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. And there he makes the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation; And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffers not their cattle to decrease. Again, they are diminished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. He pours contempt upon princes, and causes them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. (Psalm 107:32-40)
Those who chose of their own will to serve God are blessed, those who do not serve him inherit the result of their works of vanity. It is very, very simple God interacts with us, but, always his works are great and good. In mercy there is provision of the ultimate deliverance from the shadow of death, and the city of habitation made by God.
As a national song of Israel, the promise is for Israel nationally that God will, like he did to Egypt, pour contempt on princes, or rulers.
The conclusion is a blessing for those called 'the poor',
Yet sets he the poor on high from affliction, and makes him families like a flock. The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD. (Psalm 107:41-43)
The poor are not necessarily those who live in poverty, but those who are 'poor in spirit',
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3
When we see a world where the poor are not afflicted and when God makes himself a great family, as 'one flock', then we shall see and rejoice. Justice in this dispensation, where there is no open vision as in the days of old, rarely rescues the poor from affliction. The wise observe this.
We can observe now how we are rescued. We can look about us at the human failure to achieve justice at all levels, and the vanity of life, yet know that a great provision has been made for redemption to eternal life in the kingdom in the future, and, know just how great and good the kindness of God is.
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalm 107:8)
For more Psalm 149 or Wisdom from Ecclesiastes
or for the hand of God in the nationsWatchman what of the night?
Psalm 149 creates a vision of events related to the coming kingdom, which will be established on this earth when the Messiah returns to rule this earth in righteousness.
